Ukraerorukh denies impossibility of UAV attack on Balakliia depot

Additional probe will be ordered into a possible UAV pass over the Balakliia ammunition depot.

"The experiment of the military on the impossibility of a drone pass over Balakliia on March 23 is categorically refuted by Ukraerorukh (Ukraine's Traffic Management Service). That is, two conclusions contradict each other. That night, spots appeared on the civilian radar screen. The data was immediately transmitted to the air defense. To compare data of the military and civilian radars, a third experiment will be conducted. At the same time, actions of three radio air defense companies deployed in the region, serviceability of equipment and performance of military duties will be assessed," the journalist said.

"The probe involves experienced explosive experts. The circumstances around the incident require the most serious examination, since there is a number of systemic flaws with the safety of operating depots and bases," Butusov concludes.

On March 23, 2017, an emergency arose at the military ammunition depot of the Defense Ministry in Ukraine's eastern town of Balakliia. Several storage areas of rocket and cannon artillery ordnance (tank and artillery missiles of 125 mm and 152 mm caliber) caught fire, with massive explosions of ordnance following. More than 16,000 Balakliia residents were evacuated.

Chief Military Prosecutor Anatolii Matios said the emergency in Balakliia was an act of sabotage.

All materials published on this website that cite Interfax-Ukraine news agency as a source should not be further copied and/or redistributed in any other form without written consent by Interfax-Ukraine news agency.